A little more on this hunt.
The first squirrel I got off the ground. I had no idea a squirrel was in that area, but it looked good. So I walked over there and sat down next to a tree. I reckon I had been sitting there about 10 minutes before I got that first squirrel.
Trying to get the second one was interesting. I saw 4 total over a bit farther. It was apparent right away that they were young squirrels. Often times it can be difficult deciphering how big a squirrel is (at least for me it can be) but the dead give away was how they were acting. I've found that young squirrels will like to stay close by whatever tree(s) they were either raised in, or close to it and run around like crazy, back and forth.
With that, I counted 4 total, mostly playing on the ground and/or near some old logs with holes in them. The problem was, the woods was pretty open in that location. Being smaller targets as young squirrels are, that meant I needed to close the distance even more between us. There were very few trees between me and them, and what few there was, was small diameter. There was some brush, but not much. But it didn't matter. It had to be if I wanted a chance at those young squirrels. Thus, I decided to try something I have never done before.
So the very slow motion stalk was on. Knowing there was, most of the time, at least 3 sets of eyeballs on the lookout called for paying attention. For the longest time I would wait until most of them were busy on the ground digging around in the leaves for whatever they were after, then I would make my very slow motion move. The real issue was, however, the fresh leaves that have been falling are very dry right now, thus very noisy. Also, as much as those little fellas blended in, it was difficult to keep track of all 4 of them to ascertain they were amused by whatever they were after. Sometimes, a couple of them would chase each other around and around, up and down a tree. That's another good time to make a move but only when they are on the opposite side of a tree, or way up yonder.
Finally, and after being able to make it to a couple of smaller diameter trees to take a rest off of, I thought I had a shot about 4-7 times. But, as luck would have it, the squirrels would move before I could get it done. Then, lo and behold, one finally went part way up the side of a tree and stopped. Getting a rest and in a fairly quick fashion, I let er fly. I looked at my watch and I had been on that sneak attack for 1 1/2 hours for that one young squirrel. The others scattered so I slowly walked over and tied my second squirrel on my stringer.
After reloading, I stood still for a few minutes and I heard a squirrel barking up the hill. I honed in on the approximate tree and slowly worked my way up to that one. However, by the time I got up there, I had been spotted. Things got real quiet after that for a while so I simply parked my skinny behind next to a tree in that area and waited. After about 30 minutes or so I noticed a squirrel (most likely the one that was doing the barking) move way up in a hickory. I was fortunate that this time I was uphill from the tree. So I waited for the right shot until I "thought" I had it. About the time I got my Crockett up against a small cherry tree for a rest, the squirrel moved up higher, grabbed a hickory nut, then came back down a ways and parked on a limb as he chewed on the hickory nut. I could see some of the squirrel but not sure what part it was due to the leaves. Knowing I had a good, steady rest, on about the proper upwards angle, I centered the peep and front bead on where I thought most of the squirrels body was, then fired. Down he came and hit with a "thud". I reloaded again and waited for about 15 minutes until I was running out of daylight. Walked over and found my squirrel. Of all things, I had hit that squirrel in the head. I seldom hit a squirrel in the head even when I try. With my old eyes, its all I can do anymore just to see the darn things good enough to aim for the biggest part of the body I can see.
So, yeah, kind of a neat short squirrel evening squirrel hunt. One thing is for sure. That was, without doubt, the longest and most challenging, out in the open, stalk I have ever attempted on 4 squirrels at the same time.
Also, its simply so darn rewarding to put the sneak on a squirrel and drop with a single RB and black powder, out of the top of a big ole tree, and seeing it fall like it should. Nothing like it IMO.
